Minnie It Is Then
by wheresthewolf
Summary: On Christmas Eve 2000, Harry and friends have dinner party and all of the D.A. and Weasley's are invited along with Teddy and Andromeda. This is a short story about what everyone is doing after the final battle.


12/24/2000

"How ya been mate? Has anyone else showed up yet besides the Weasleys'?" Seamus Finnigan asked shaking Harry's hand as he entered Grimmauld Place with two and a half year old, Cedric Macmillan in his other arm, after his five month pregnant wife Susan had hugged Harry and made her way to the kitchen to Andromeda, Molly, Fleur, Hermione, Ginny, Hannah, Audry, and Angelina's aid in preparing dinner.

Harry beamed at his Irish friend, "I've been excellent, really excellent. Yeah good thing you guys showed up first so Teddy and Cedric can play. How are things with Susan? I see this little guy needs his partner in crime Teddy to play with," Harry said ruffling Cedric wavy blonde hair.

The surrogate father set Cedric down snorting in laughter. Seamus ruffled Cedric's hair also before the toddler scurried off towards the dining room in search of Teddy Lupin. "Things are great! I swear I love that woman and that kid, Cedric really is Ernie's son though. For a two and half year old he is very smart just like how Ernie was exceedingly smart at school, you know what I'm saying?" Seamus said smiling as he saw Teddy waddling from the dining room meeting Cedric outside the doorway.

Harry smiled. He had been happy that Seamus had been there for Susan after the Battle of Hogwarts. Much to Harry's guilt, the battle had robbed Susan of her husband, the father of her child, and her best friend. "Seamus, I think it's great you and Susan are married. And yes I understand completely what you're saying. Teddy has managed to sing a Weird Sisters' song start to finish," Harry said snatching up Teddy quickly as he waddled away from Cedric screaming in delight.

Leading Seamus into the dining room, Harry scooped up Cedric also and carried both boys into the dining room where Neville Longbottom prepared the table dinner. "Hiya Seamus," Neville said striding towards Seamus giving him a brotherly hug.

"How you been doing Neville? What's it like being engaged to Hannah and living here with the other two engaged couples?" Seamus asked grinning.

Harry smiled. He had loved living with Ron and Neville when they had first joined the Auror Office. Grimmauld Place had been the guy's house but after Ginny and Hermione graduated from Hogwarts two years ago, the two had moved into Grimmauld Place with Harry, Ron, and Neville. Luna had not moved in due to Neville breaking it off with her due to her insistence that they'd be leading separate lives and careers. With Harry proposing to Ginny and Ron proposing to Hermione it had prompted Neville, who was madly in love with Hannah to come to the realization that he had wanted to marry her. Continuing to smile, Harry set Teddy and Cedric both in their baby chairs while he listened to Neville and Seamus's conversation.

"So Harry are the old Professors' actually coming tonight?" Seamus asked as he made sure Cedric and Teddy were secure in their chair.

Someone cleared their throat from the doorway of the dining room, "I resent that comment, I for one am not old, in wizarding terms that is, not Muggle terms," Minerva McGonagall said as she strode in the room hugging Neville, Harry, and Seamus before kissing both teddy and Cedric on their foreheads as they sat in their chairs smiling gleefully.

Harry and Neville snickered at Seamus's embarrassment, "Good one mate. Hello Professor good term so far?" Harry asked patting his former Head of House on the back.

"How many times must I tell you to call me either Minerva or McGonagall? I am no longer your teacher," Minerva said sternly but smiling at Harry.

"Minnie!" Teddy squealed reaching out for Minerva McGonagall.

A roar of laughter came from the hallway, "Did I just hear Teddy call McGonagall, 'Minnie'?" George Weasley asked as he entered the dining room closely followed by his father, Ron, Charlie, Percy, and Bill, who struggled with a squirming eight month old, Victoire.

"Now, now George let's not forget who you're teasing. Would you like me to transfigure you into a baboon or a ferret just like Draco Malfoy?" McGonagall asked as she stared lovingly at Teddy not even bothering to look at George Weasley.

The Weasley brothers, Seamus and Harry burst into fits of laughter and either her threat to George or the memory of Draco Malfoy the silver ferret. "One of the funniest things I've seen happen was Draco being turned into a ferret," Harry said as he maneuvered around McGonagall as she held Teddy, to make his way towards the knocking coming from the front door.

One by one and two by two the dinner guest had all arrived. Luna and her boyfriend, Rolf Scammander arrived next after McGonagall. Minister Kingsley Shacklebolt and his wife, and fellow Order member Hestia Shacklebolt nee Jones had flooed from the Shacklebolt Plantation shortly after Luna's arrival. Filius Flitwick, Poppy Pomfrey, and Pomona Sprout had flooed from Hogwarts just for dinner for they had a small amount of students who remained at Hogwarts for the Christmas Holidays.

Lee Jordan and his fiancé, Alicia Spinnet arrived seconds before Oliver Wood who had brought Dennis Creevey from his home via Side-Along Apparition. Jimmy Peakes and his girlfriend Demelza Robins flooed from Ireland where they were visiting family for the holidays. Harry smiled as a tired Justin Finch-Fletchley and his wife Megan Finch-Fletchley nee Jones came in with a homemade chocolate cake made by the orphans at the orphanage they manage. The last guest to arrive was Anthony Goldstein and his girlfriend Mandy Brocklehurst much to everyone's relief for everyone was starved.

As host it was Harry's task to make the toast for dinner, much to his dismay. While Harry sat in his seat staring at the wonderful meal prepared by Molly, Andromeda, Ginny, and his friends, he heard his stomach growl. He stood and tapped his glass lightly with his knife, "Hey everyone, er- honestly as you all know I am rubbish at speeches unlike Hermione but it is my pleasure to have everyone here for dinner and I love each and every one of you. I probably wouldn't be here today if it weren't for all of you, my family, I love you all," Harry said raising his glass, "To Family," he concluded.

"To family," everyone chorused as everyone raised their glasses and took a gulp of their drinks.

Harry gulped as he pressed on, "And here is to those who couldn't be here with us tonight, those who fought for our freedom, to the fallen," Harry said sadly.

"To the fallen," everyone repeated in the same grim tone.

It's still my fault, Harry thought as he took a gulp of his butterbeer. "My fault Tonks, Remus, and Fred and everyone else isn't here eating with us," Harry muttered to himself so quietly no one else heard.

Sensing the sudden mood change, Molly Weasley took charge. "Now tuck in, the girls, Andromeda, and I made a lot of food," Mrs. Weasley said as she made her way out of the dining room to grab the last platter from the kitchen.

"Where's Hagrid?" Hannah asked as she sat next to Neville.

Stifled giggles and snickers erupted from different areas of the table, "Hagrid is with Olypme Maxime in France for the holidays," Filius Flitwick said smiling.

Harry grinned as he saw Minerva nudge Pomona Sprout who was having trouble concealing her giggling and glee with Poppy Pomfrey. Olympe Maxime had been part of Hogwarts reinforcements led from Hogsmeade into battle by Charlie Weasley. She had killed many Death Eaters in her search for Hagrid in the midst of the chaos. "Good for him, honestly Hagrid deserves to be happy," Harry said watching his friends and family as they all sat together laughing and smiling.

"Thank you girls for helping Molly and I prepare dinner," Andromeda said spooning mashed potatoes into Teddy's drooling mouth while looking to each Ginny, Hermione, Angelina, Fleur, Audry, Hannah, and Susan.

Much to Harry's glee, his friends and future-in-laws all burst into their own private conversations, all of which contained laughter. Neville and Hannah spoke with Seamus who fed a messy Cedric, who ate just as rapidly as Ron did, while Susan was deep in conversation with Megan and Justin about Second Chances Orphanage, which she and Seamus had invested in. Alicia and Angelina spoke proudly with the rest of the table about the successful opening of their house, 'Assisted Living for the Wrongly Demented Souls'. Dennis Creevey was talking happily with Ginny and Oliver Wood discussing Puddlemere United and the Holyhead Harpies.

"Psh Oliver, our Chasers outstrip your chases. Although I will admit, you are a far better Keeper than the one on my team," Ginny said to Oliver who seemed put out at her comment about his Chasers while Dennis grinned.

"So Dennis, how is your Seventh year going so far?" Harry asked, not meaning to interrupt the conversation between Dennis, Oliver and his fiancé, Ginny who all sat to Harry's immediate left.

To Harry's immediate right sat Ron and Hermione, "How are your studies going," Hermione said as she took of her butterbeer.

"I'm taking Defense Against the Dark Arts, Herbology, Potions, Charms, Transfiguration, and I get my Apparition license as soon as I graduate this June," Dennis said confidently.

A gigantic smiled spread across Harry's face. Harry knew what those classes were for, "When you graduate from Hogwarts come see me Dennis I'm sure I can talk to the Head of the Auror Department to give you a spot in our ranks," Harry said folding his hands in a Dumbledore like way as he smiled at Dennis Creevey.

Ginny, Ron, Hermione, and Oliver also understood what job Dennis wanted by his description of his classes. Dennis had pushed himself to get Exceeds Expectations and Outstanding in all his O.W.L's. Hagrid, who had been named Head of Gryffindor after McGonagall's appointment to Headmistress , had been ecstatic and owled Harry telling Harry about Dennis's accomplishments in earning the highest marks in his entire year. Dennis had shocked everyone in his Sixth Year when he began dating his first girlfriend, Fourth Year Gabrielle Delacour, who had transferred to Hogwarts in from Beaubatons after her Second year. Gabrielle had went to McGonagall had had been the first to be sorted as a Third Year.

"How are things with Gabrielle?" Ron asked as he shoveled food into his mouth while Andromeda who sat to Ron's left looked at him with a look of amusement etched on her face.

Before answering Dennis looked to Fleur as she sat at the other end of the table struggling with little Victoire as she listened to her sister-in-law Angelina, "It's going great. We met during the Triwizard Tournament and after she transferred I was a familiar face to her. Everything with her is going very well, no other blokes mess with her because of me," Dennis said proudly. "But the real test for me and her is when I graduate and she has two more years left. You never know what happens, but don't tell Bill and Fleur but I plan-"

"Don't tell us anything that'll put us in a difficult position Dennis," Hermione whispered across the table to Dennis.

Dennis chuckled, "I'm not, but after she graduates I plan on marrying her. She's the only one for me," Dennis said with a smile on his face mirroring the smile on Ginny and Harry's faces.

"Colin would be so proud of Dennis," Ginny said to Dennis placing her hand atop of his as she smiled.

The youngest Creevey brother smiled despite the mention of his brother, "I hope so."

Dinner had ended and everyone had moved from the dining room to the living room where everyone had bought everyone a Christmas gift. Harry smiled as he watched his friends and family all open gifts. Everyone had opened their gifts and thanked everyone and one by one each couple had left and went home. Ron and Hermione had went to bed as did Neville and Hannah leaving Harry, Ginny, Molly, Arthur, Teddy, and Andromeda in the living room.

Teddy had gotten a puppy from Molly and Arthur, much to Andromeda's dismay, "Honestly you two? You gave him a puppy? As if all of us don't have a hard time watching this little furniture destroying tyrant but now we're adding in a puppy?" Andromeda said chuckling as she placed the chocolate Labrador puppy in front of Teddy, who squealed in delight as the puppy licked his face profusely all while occasionally barking in its small puppy bark.

"He'll be fine, Teddy is an only child. He needs that dog," Arthur said wrapping an arm his wife, who shrugged and smiled as Teddy continued to play with his new puppy.

"What are you going to name him Teddy?" Ginny asked as she sat on Harry's lap.

Teddy held a finger to his chin, "Hmm thas is Minnie," Teddy said squealing happily once again. The two year old waddled after the puppy who circled the toddler, barking playfully before jumping atop of Teddy licking his face profusely once more.

"Minerva is going to love the fact Teddy named his dog after her," Andromeda said sarcastically.

Harry roared with laughter, "He named it not us. Minnie it is then," Harry said smiling.


End file.
